The case for Mubarak: What positive legacy does Egypt's ex-President leave behind as he goes to trial?

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As Mubarak’s trial date for August 3rd is announced, we consider whether he has ‘anything’ on his side to make a positive case for Hosni Mubarak. On 24 May, Mubarak was ordered to stand trial on charges of premeditated murder of peaceful protestors during the 2011 Egyptian revolution and, if convicted, could face the death penalty.

Image 1 of 13: 1 / 131973, lifting Arab morale: Yet to lead Egypt as President, he led the victorious vanguard of the Suez Canal crossing. Promotion to Air Chief Marshal followed his contribution in the October War - credited for Egypt's initial blitz that more than shook Israel before it regained its nerve.

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Image 2 of 13: 2 / 13Financial favors: By his Gulf War involvement with the allied coalition, he reduced the national debt by $14 billion . Egypt's stand was deemed by the US crucial in promoting Arab support for the liberation of Kuwait. The allies showed their gratitude by waiving some of his national debt.

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Image 3 of 13: 3 / 13'First' Gulf War, first to enter the fray: Mubarak joined the allied coalition in the 1991 Gulf War, and Egyptian infantry were some of the 'first' to land in Saudi Arabia to evict Iraqi forces from Kuwait. This cemented Egypt's central role in the Arab world.

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Image 4 of 13: 4 / 13Mubarak dictated the country to a better economy: he championed economic reforms in the region from 2004: The Egyptian stock market made record growth as first among emerging markets. He made strides in business and privatization expansions and lowered taxes and tariffs.

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Image 5 of 13: 5 / 13Good for town-planning: he shifted the population or relocated them across the vast land, to less dense hubs, so as to relieve urban congested cities as Cairo, Alexandria and the Nile Valley. He resettled 7 million people away from the densely populated Nile Valley and into the Western Desert.

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Image 6 of 13: 6 / 13He buffered Egypt and seemingly the world against the Muslim Brotherhood: This was certainly deemed an achievement by the West, and internally by those who were caught between parties and agendas with whom they felt little affiliation.

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Image 7 of 13: 7 / 13Towed the Sadat line; guarded a 30-year peace reign. He kept the peace-with-Israel-treaty in the face of regional hostility. This status quo won Egypt kudos by the West who could not claim that all Arabs wished Israel's extinction. Ever the peace-maker, in 2000 he met with Arafat to broker peace.

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Image 8 of 13: 8 / 13Revived learning: He boosted educational and cultural facilities. He built many universities around the country, as well as the Great Alexandria Library, and he put the expanded Luxor museum on the world map.

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Image 9 of 13: 9 / 13Tourism triumph? He recovered Egypt's once thriving tourism industry after the '97 tourist killing of 58 visitors, that had a devastating long-lasting impact. (Only to undo his efforts once again today, by the revolution in his honor: the country is losing millions in lost business at this time.)

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Image 10 of 13: 10 / 13Popular by the West, accepted by Arabs: Arab League re-admission. Mubarak re-instated Egypt at the heart of the Arab world with this1989 recovered membership. Egypt had been shunned for befriending Israel in '79. The League's HQ were relocated, from Tunis to the original Cairo HQ, in 1989.

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Image 11 of 13: 11 / 13Arabian money: Take the Toshka project whereby he welcomed Saudi investors to the country- and this venture, formally titled the National Project for the Development of Upper Egypt (NPDUE) was a successful enterprise speared by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.

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Image 12 of 13: 12 / 13Tackling Terrorism: He aligned himself with "All nations which support freedom stand together on the war against terrorism," thereby ingratiating himself with the proponents of the war on terror. He took a firm stand against Hamas at the cost of arguably increasing his Gazan neighbors' suffering.

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Image 13 of 13: 13 / 13Tony Blair gave him the thumbs up! He impressed Tony Blair til the end, as former British PM, now an envoy to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, in February 2011, commended him for his role for peace and keeping dangerous elements at bay: Mubarak is 'immensely courageous and a force for good'.

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Image 1 of 131973, lifting Arab morale: Yet to lead Egypt as President, he led the victorious vanguard of the Suez Canal crossing. Promotion to Air Chief Marshal followed his contribution in the October War - credited for Egypt's initial blitz that more than shook Israel before it regained its nerve.

2

Image 2 of 13Financial favors: By his Gulf War involvement with the allied coalition, he reduced the national debt by $14 billion . Egypt's stand was deemed by the US crucial in promoting Arab support for the liberation of Kuwait. The allies showed their gratitude by waiving some of his national debt.

3

Image 3 of 13'First' Gulf War, first to enter the fray: Mubarak joined the allied coalition in the 1991 Gulf War, and Egyptian infantry were some of the 'first' to land in Saudi Arabia to evict Iraqi forces from Kuwait. This cemented Egypt's central role in the Arab world.

4

Image 4 of 13Mubarak dictated the country to a better economy: he championed economic reforms in the region from 2004: The Egyptian stock market made record growth as first among emerging markets. He made strides in business and privatization expansions and lowered taxes and tariffs.

5

Image 5 of 13Good for town-planning: he shifted the population or relocated them across the vast land, to less dense hubs, so as to relieve urban congested cities as Cairo, Alexandria and the Nile Valley. He resettled 7 million people away from the densely populated Nile Valley and into the Western Desert.

6

Image 6 of 13He buffered Egypt and seemingly the world against the Muslim Brotherhood: This was certainly deemed an achievement by the West, and internally by those who were caught between parties and agendas with whom they felt little affiliation.

7

Image 7 of 13Towed the Sadat line; guarded a 30-year peace reign. He kept the peace-with-Israel-treaty in the face of regional hostility. This status quo won Egypt kudos by the West who could not claim that all Arabs wished Israel's extinction. Ever the peace-maker, in 2000 he met with Arafat to broker peace.

8

Image 8 of 13Revived learning: He boosted educational and cultural facilities. He built many universities around the country, as well as the Great Alexandria Library, and he put the expanded Luxor museum on the world map.

9

Image 9 of 13Tourism triumph? He recovered Egypt's once thriving tourism industry after the '97 tourist killing of 58 visitors, that had a devastating long-lasting impact. (Only to undo his efforts once again today, by the revolution in his honor: the country is losing millions in lost business at this time.)

10

Image 10 of 13Popular by the West, accepted by Arabs: Arab League re-admission. Mubarak re-instated Egypt at the heart of the Arab world with this1989 recovered membership. Egypt had been shunned for befriending Israel in '79. The League's HQ were relocated, from Tunis to the original Cairo HQ, in 1989.

11

Image 11 of 13Arabian money: Take the Toshka project whereby he welcomed Saudi investors to the country- and this venture, formally titled the National Project for the Development of Upper Egypt (NPDUE) was a successful enterprise speared by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.

12

Image 12 of 13Tackling Terrorism: He aligned himself with "All nations which support freedom stand together on the war against terrorism," thereby ingratiating himself with the proponents of the war on terror. He took a firm stand against Hamas at the cost of arguably increasing his Gazan neighbors' suffering.

13

Image 13 of 13Tony Blair gave him the thumbs up! He impressed Tony Blair til the end, as former British PM, now an envoy to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, in February 2011, commended him for his role for peace and keeping dangerous elements at bay: Mubarak is 'immensely courageous and a force for good'.

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We’ve slated many Arab Leaders recently, so maybe it’s time to at least consider the flip-side of the coin and review any good deeds that may have been done in service by this much-reviled Egyptian President. After all, 30 years is a long time to be all bad, every day, all the time. Some have spoken out on his worthy work for Egypt, but usually these positives can be discredited or re-stated far too easily to reveal negative outcomes. Still, we're going to try to bring out his most redeeming features or contributions for Egypt, the government and hopefully the people, rather than for his pocket.

He had his work cut out for him when he came into power: and in the course of his time, he embarked on a path of 'reform' and stabilization for the nation, slowly but surely it can be argued; but defnitely not overngiht, nor withouth u-turns and reversals along the way.